As portable electronic devices and wireless devices become more popular, an increasing range of mobility applications and services are emerging. There are well established radio broadcast services, utilizing the amplitude modulation (AM) and/or frequency modulation (FM) frequency bands that allow reception of audio information and/or data at an FM receiver.
Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a data collection technology that enables the storing and remote retrieval of data utilizing devices referred to as RFID tags, or transponders. An RFID transponder may comprise a silicon integrated circuit, or chip, and an antenna that enables the RFID transponder to receive and respond to radio frequency (RF) queries from an RFID transceiver, or reader. The RFID transponder may comprise memory, for example a random access memory (RAM) or an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), which enables storage of data. The data may comprise an electronic product code (EPC) that may be utilized to locate an item to which the RFID transponder is attached. For example, libraries may attach RFID transponders to books to enable the tracking of books that are checked out to library patrons. RFID transponders may be integrated into plastic, credit card sized devices referred to as “smart cards.” The RFID transponders in smart cards may enable storage of account information that enables the holder of the smart card to purchase goods and services. The smart card, for example, may store a current balance that indicates a monetary value of goods and services that may be purchased with the smart card. The smart card holder may purchase goods and services by holding the smart card in the proximity of an RFID transceiver that retrieves account information from the smart card. The RFID transceiver may, for example, decrease the current balance to reflect purchases and store the updated value in the smart card. The RFID transceiver may also increase the current balance when the user purchases additional monetary value.
Two of the challenges in the development of radio frequency identification (RFID) systems are the inexorable quest to reduce the cost and size of RFID transponder circuits, and the need to provide secure communications environment between communicating RFID systems. However, requirements associated with the design and implementation of passive components may limit the ability to reduce the cost and size of RFID transponder circuits in RFID systems. For example, antennas and/or coupling coils, utilized to enable reception of signals at the RFID transponder circuit, may be too large and bulky to integrate on the same integrated circuit chip with the RFID transponder circuit. Furthermore, circuitry that may enable secure communications based on the use of various data encryption algorithms may require levels of operating power consumption that are not practical for implementation in RFID systems.
Near field communication (NFC) is a communication standard that enables wireless communication devices, such as cellular telephones, SmartPhones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) to establish peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. NFC may enable electronic devices to exchange data and/or initiate applications automatically when they are brought in close proximity, for example ranging from touching, or 0 cm, to a distance of about 20 cm.
NFC may enable downloading of images stored in a digital camera, to a personal computer, or downloading of audio and/or video entertainment to MP3 devices, or downloading of data stored in a SmartPhone to a personal computer, or other wireless device, for example. NFC may be compatible with smart card technologies and may also be utilized to enable purchase of goods and services.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.